Friday, April 30, 2010

This is my six year old just recently (but we have known for a while) diagnosed with ADHD. This is just a small part of his diagnosis we are now doing blood work and checking on the genetic makeup to rule those things out. He is my challenge most days. We love him, and he is funny, but there are times that he needs to escape for his very own good. We have been given medication last week for him, but along with the prescription came all the side affects warnings which were really really long and scary! Ritalin has tons of side affects, we would even have to give this guy a EKG before we began because we have heart issues in our family. So......I have done TONS of research on an alternative methods for him. I want to see him succeed but I also want to know that I have expired all other options before I go that route. I'm not one for listening to doctors all the time, modern medicine can not trump natural on everything. I think that many times Dr. are very fast to bring out the medication pad, sometimes a little too fast. I am sure some things, and maybe at the end of this journey we may decided to give it a go. But I was not going to go to quick on that one.

The research I have done concluded that children with ADHD and Autism have been able to have great outcome on changing diet along with behavioral therapy. Hubbs and I spoke about it and really we could all use better healthy living, Frank has some tummy issues he has had since we have been married 12 years ago. So, we ventured out bought a new cook book and got shopping(CHA-CHING!) We are trying a Gluten-Free Casein-Free, dye-free diet.

We have been on it for a week so far. Its very challenging and some of the food is DISGUSTING! NASTY not to mention EXPENSIVE!

At first we thought we would just have just A and Frank on it. Imagine the look on his face when I told him he could not have a toast, yep, broke my heart. So, what we are going to do, because you can not feed a family this big on a GFCF diet, or at least I have not figured this one out yet. We are going to have the whole family on it, and see if there are changes in anyone of us. It can't hurt.

I have kept a behavioral log and food log. So far not so much of a change with A. They say it can take up to six months. Holy smokito, I need bread bad! :)

Yes, we could save tons of money, and huge head ache by just doing the drug, but I really just need to do this for this little guy. This is my job, my honor, to help him no matter how long it can take. If you or anyone you know have had success with this diet, would you give me a holler on the comments? Or if you have any tips on food that does not taste like cardboard ;0) yeah that would be a great tip too!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Our family has been awaiting visas for our two children from Ghana for a month an a half. The typical time frame to get a visas for adoption was five days. There has been some changes done with the American embassy and how they handle the adoption visas from here on out. Something we are hugely grateful for, because it will be great for families and orphans to know that they are fully legally rightfully able to be adoptable. However we are one of the first Guinea pigs to be going through the change. The embassy are doing an investigation when you apply for your children's visas to make sure that everything was done correctly, they even interview the birth family(s) and if there is still question they will now request a DNA. That's where we are at now, the DNA phase.I got the call from Anita with the news that the embassy has decided to do a DNA test and that it will take 8 more weeks, I got this call on Tuesdsay. I think my speech left, yeah I think there was a two minute silence where I didn't know if I wanted to cry or scream! I felt done, beyond what I felt before, done was an understatement. I began to wonder what if the test comes back negative, what if these kids will NEVER come home? Why would God choose my family to be hit by such a loss. Why did I say Yes? Why couldn't I just be left alone and not really care about orphans? Why me?For two days all I could do was weep, the tears that have been held back and I have remained so strong for just came, my face was leaking every few seconds. I would walk into G''s and E's room and I remember the pain of taking down my son Hudson's room when he passed away. NO Pain like that.Then yesterday, my coordinator sent me a picture of Birth mom, she is so their mom that was so good to see for my soul! Then last night I was washing dishes and I felt very loudly in my soul and clear as day ''come to my feet child''. I hear God calling me every now and then through a pulling at my heart through a desperation of needing to just sit in His presence. Yesterday it was different.I walked into my room and put on some worship and before you know it I was meet with an overwhelming feeling to get on my face. There on my face, my eyes close came this song. I sang it this Sunday at Church for the first time by Chris Tomlin. Its the song playing right now,I had it on repeat over and over. My face on the floor, a flooding of His love and Mercy washed over me. Then an abundance of love for these two came over me one that I have not had Ever, I love them can't wait to see them, but I felt as if God had given me a dose of HIS love. One I could not fathom. I could not stand my face glued to the floor I was for a while my body shaking by the Love, just soaking in his Love His mercy and all the things HE has and HE will accomplish through us. He reminded me that If He is for us that Who could ever stop us, If He is for us that what can stand against? WHAT? No Embassy, No DNA, No Social Welfare. HE is AWESOME in power!He also shared with me the redemption he has for these kids. There is a reason these children need to know that someone fought for them, someone did not give up, someone is kneeling at the feet of Jesus for them! Redemption. I felt hit by the God bomb last night. This light of the world came to my rescue yesterday to wash over me like a flood my heart is rejoicing at the opportunity to even be used by Him. He reminded me that I am just a vessel, if I am a vessel for Him then through me He can do whatever He wanted to. I am nothing if not by Him.And then this morning something so awesome, as if being meet with the creators over abudance is not enough. My friends are at an Orphan Summit with hundreads of believers all with a love for the fatherless are gathered this weekend. My friend and her husband decided to take a seat before the morning event started.Hundreds fill the space. My Friends Kelsey and Mark find their way to a seat and they leave a seat open next to them just in case there is a person just needing one seat. A women finds her way to this open seat. My friend Kels start a conversation with her about why she is there. This women begins to share about her and her husband adopting two children from Ghana West Africa ;). To which my friend Kels says she knows a couple also adopting two from Ghana, my friend shared of our struggle with all the wait. This women stops her to say ''Are you friends the Teabo's???'' To which Kels says "YES!" This mom is a women adopting two boys I have been praying for they are in the same house as my kids! I will say the first letter just in case she doesn't want her name being shared K. K began to tell Kels about how Frank and I have been such an inspiration to them and how they have been praying for us for so long! HELLO, out of hundreds in that room God choose these two to sit right next to each other! I was so touched by this God is so Awesome! What more can I ask than to be apart of that living! What a renewing fire!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

So I have forgotten to post some of our family nights here, I do on facebook put that will not do you any good unless you are my friend, and if you are not yet, why not? :)

A year ago my friend Suzi introduced my to this blog. This woman Heather and her best friend wanted to make family nights but they wanted to do something a little different. Add a theme. I read and re-reaed this blog and wondered to myself it this would work with our family. Would it be time consuming and more expensive than going out to eat?

Frank and I talked about it. So we tried it out, our first themed family night was snowman night. The kids LOVED it. We decided to continue, were doing them once a week and then I was spent! We then decided it would be best to try twice a month to this day we have skipped a few times. When we do our kids are so sad. They tell friends about Teabo Tuesday, so friends ask what theme is it this week. How funny! It does take time, however there are some I do plan in a few hours time. The whole point is to build memories with your children that's fun where they see you being and having fun with them. Its so important for our kids to see is laugh and chase them around the house even if the laundry is piled up and there are still a gazillion projects to do.

I can't tell you how many times it has brought tears to my eyes to see all of them enjoying each other and having a blast! One of my favorite things is when friends come to the door to ask if they can play and they say really quick "Nope...WE HAVE TEABO TUESDAY!''

If you have never tried give it a shot, I can help you with ideas, and its really easier than it looks!

So how about you do you have a fun family night you do as a family? What do you do? If you have any ideas for me for family night, let me know.

This night was can you guess: GLOW IN THE DARK NIGHT! Could not turn the lights on for photos, it would loose the appeal. This was one of kids favorite and the cheapest night. We bought like $10.00 worth of Glow in the dark products at the dollar store. Then bought a black light, waited till dark and Frank and I set up the house. We had glow in the dark hide and seek this was the highlight (no pun intended :) of the night!

This Teabo Tuesday family night was a blast. We finished out night with a movie the Rookie and ate our cracker jack and Baby Ruth. Num! People ask me often where I purchase items at, I try to make the family nights very simple and costing less and not to much hassle, it take the fun out when I am stressed out putting all the details into it. I do LOVE it, I think I was to be a party planner some time in my life ;)

Purchased the baseball ball and cards, and the 1,2, and 3 base matts that we used as place matts at the dollar store. The Big chew and cream soda at Top Foods, the baseball bat and gloves were borrowed.

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